[PLUG] Which new distro?

[chris (fool) mccraw]

On Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 09:19, Guy Letourneau <guy1656 at opusnet.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm not sure if Ubuntu is different, ...   You
>> could just ignore it until you have the time to update?
>>
>
> That "is* one annoyance, the red 'zomG if you don't download your system
> will be COMPROMISED' arrow does NOT let you ignore upgrades to software
> you don't even use. I use Thunderbird but if I uncheck all the EUDORA
> stuff the arrow stays on - I have to download megs and megs of stuff
> just to make it GO AWAY.

so, the simple workaround to the excessive presence of the angry red
arrow, if you are really sure you don't want non-security updates, is
to take the non-security repositories out of your
/etc/apt/sources.list file.  this may or may not work for long--some
of those updates may depend on other non-security updates which the
system can't find.  of course, many security issues are with the
kernel, or the browser, which are the huge downloads that clog your
pipe.  i'd keep the non-security ones in there but commented out in
case you need them again.

i run ubuntu but i disabled the entire desktop (i boot to runlevel 2
and startx manually into the most minimal of window managers,
ratpoison), so i never see an arrow.  there is probably an "update
manager" process or widget in the toolbar you could also disable.
this fix, however, is the equivalent of putting electrical tape over
the "oil pressure warning" light in your car.